Crime and Punishment Part 4, Chapters 1-6

Part 4, Chapters 1-6

The husband of the late Marfa Petrovna feels a kindred spirit in Raskolnikov and informs him so. Raskolnikov is very taken aback at the entry of this man into his home, for it had been this very man who had caused his sister so much grief. He had also learned that the man had been accused of beating Marfa Petrovna and for being the chief cause of her untimely death. Svidrigailov explains that he had indeed caused Dunya a lot of trouble, for which he was certainly sorry, but his intentions with Dunya had been entirely without deceit. He had, at the time, been greatly enamored by the virtuous personality of the young girl. As to the accusation of beating his late wife, he admits to it freely but adds that the character of the beating he had given her was mild and without great harm. It had been only the second time that he had ever touched her with any malicious intent in all of their seven years of marriage. They diverge into the subject of ghosts, and life after death, for Raskolnikov too feels that he shares something in common with the man.

Svidrigailov then reveals that his true intention in coming to him was to ask him to arrange a meeting with his sister Dunya. He had left Moscow immediately after the funeral of his wife and had now been in Petersburg for the past 3 days. He reveals his past to Raskolnikov and informs him that he had been in the city eight years ago. At the time he had accrued a significant debt from which he had been rescued by Marfa Petrovna, who had been older than him. She had paid a significant sum of his debt, and they had married. She had retained an I.O.U of the debt that she had paid and had held it over his head for the initial years of their marriage. Although, she had gifted the said document to him recently along with a handsome sum of money. Presently, he wishes to see Dunya and make amends for the ill-treatment she had borne on his account and wishes to offer her a handsome sum of money. The money is to be hers without any precondition, and though Raskolnikov has little cause to believe that to be the case, he perceives that Svidrigailov doesn't at all appear to be lying. Before leaving, he also informs Raskolnikov that Marfa Petrovna had left Dunya a large sum of money in her will, and she could expect to claim the money very soon.

Razumikhin and Raskolnikov arrive for the meeting at the same time as Peter Petrovich, who is affronted that Raskolnikov has been included in the meeting, but he does not address the matter and instead delves into the death of Marfa Petrovna, and the poor character of her husband Svidrigailov. Peter continues to berate and tarnish Svidrigailov, but Dunya defends him and Peter takes severe umbrage at that. Raskolnikov then reveals to them all that Svidrigailov had just visited him, and had informed him of the sum that Marfa Petrovna had left to Dunya. He also tells them that Svidrigailov wishes to meet with Dunya, but doesn't disclose the proposal he had raised. Peter is affronted at this and wishes to leave, but Dunya requests that he stay for she wants to understand better the dispute Peter has with her brother.

She informs him that as per Raskolnikov's desires, she has either to choose to maintain her relationship with him or with Peter, and so wishes to hear the whole account before making a decision. Peter is offended that he occupies the same place as her brother, whom he feels is not worthy to be on the same level as him. Dunya is severely offended by this and Peter Petrovich then accuses Dunya and her mother of changing their behavior now that they were rescued by the sum left to them by Marfa Petrovna. Both Razumikhin and Raskolnikov threaten Peter for his behavior and ask him to guard his words, but finally, it is Dunya's mother who unequivocally tells Peter to leave. Peter leaves with venom in his heart for Raskolnikov and continues to believe that he could still rescue the situation with the ladies.

Peter Petrovich had never before entertained the thought that Dunya would ever escape from his control, he had amassed a great amount of wealth, and bided his time for a girl that met his very specific needs. He truly desires a poor creature who has been wronged by economic circumstances but yet has both good education and a strong moral character. In Dunya he had found all those things and more, he had already seen many waking dreams of their future life together. He resolves to fix the issue the very next day and places all of the blame for the conflict on Raskolnikov.

Raskolnikov, his family, and Razumikhin are very quickly laughing with relief and looking forward to staying in Petersburg. Razumikhin wishes to start a publishing business for he has an intimate knowledge of the business and feels that it would be a profitable endeavor. He proposes that all of them go in on the business as equal stakeholders. Dunya is highly pleased by the prospect, and Raskolnikov also expresses his support in both the idea as well as Razumikhin's ability to implement it. Raskolnikov suddenly gets up and begins to leave, when his family members attempt to stop him, he asks them to leave him alone for the sake of his sanity. He says that he will return to them when he can but until then they should give him up.

Razumikhin chases after him, and Raskolnikov commands Razumikhin to care for his family as if they were his own and to forget about him until or if he could return. There is a moment of utter silence between them, but an idea is communicated clearly between the two friends. Razumikhin is stricken with what he perceives in his friend and returns silently to Raskolnikov's family. Raskolnikov goes to Sonya's house, who is very surprised and nervous to see him. He precedes her into her room and scans it minutely. She follows him in and stands before him like a criminal waiting for a sentence. Raskolnikov begins to question her of the present situation of Katerina and the children in the absence of her father. Only a little way into the conversation, it is evident to both, that Katerina has become unhinged with the grief that life has piled on her, and that she is likely to soon die from tuberculosis. In such a situation the children would become the responsibility of Sonya, who could barely make enough money to care for them all. Polenka, the eldest child, would have to follow Sonya into her profession in order to earn a living. Raskolnikov paints a horrific scenario that causes Sonya much anguish and grief. Raskolnikov paces around the room and attempts to understand how a person like Sonya can live and endure such a depraved existence.

He asks her if she has ever considered suicide and understands from her reaction that she has indeed considered it several times, but what had kept her alive had been her worry for the children and her almost maniacal belief in God. Raskolnikov realizes that Sonya is able to endure due to her belief that a miracle from God could rescue her from all of the problems. Raskolnikov asks her if she would run away with him, for he feels that they were the same, she and him. He makes her read from the bible the most wonderful miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus and as she reads it she trembles with emotion as Jesus asks Lazarus to come forth. Raskolnikov realizes as she reads the passage, that she had most likely read this part of the bible a thousand times throughout her life. Throughout their conversation, Raskolnikov had come to interestingly observe that Sonya had shared a warm friendship with Lizaveta, the younger and more innocent of the two stepsisters that he had murdered. Raskolnikov says his farewell and tells her that if he were able to see her the next day then he would reveal to her who had murdered Lizaveta. This conversation is overheard by Svidrigailov who is staying in the room next to Sonya's.

Raskolnikov goes to the police station with dread in his heart, he is surprised to discover that he is made to wait for his appointment with Porfiry. During the wait, Raskolnikov begins to believe that the man who had come to accuse him as a murderer had perhaps seen nothing, and so he believes that he may still be able to escape punishment. After a wait of about 10 minutes, he is shown to Porfiry's room. Porfiry begins the interview with Raskolnikov, although he begins by only addressing completely mundane topics that are completely irrelevant to their present condition. Raskolnikov calls out Porfiry for utilizing such a mundane and base method of attempting to make him uncomfortable and agitated, but Porfiry continues to play with Raskolnikov. At some junctions in their conversation, Porfiry nearly outright accuses Raskolnikov of being involved with the murder, but at other times he acts concernedly for the visibly ill Raskolnikov. He behaves as if Raskolnikov had falsely come to believe that he was involved with the murder because he was a hypochondriac, and even reveals that he had been aware that Raskolnikov had visited the apartment of the murder. He tells him that he had heard how Raskolnikov had stood at the door and rang the bell, enquired of the workmen about the blood, and then asked them all to accompany him to the police station.

Raskolnikov stands up trembling, and tells Porfiry to stop toying with him. He wants Porfiry to either arrest him or leave him alone, and just as Raskolnikov has had enough he turns to leave, but Porfiry halts him with the promise of a surprise.

Just as Porfiry is about to reveal his surprise, there is a commotion at the door. Porfiry goes to the door and a man shoves through a great press of people. The man is Nikolai, the painter. He comes into the office, falls to his knees, and confesses that he had murdered the pawnbroker and her sister. Porfiry and Raskolnikov are both shocked at the turn of these events, but Raskolnikov capitalizes on this new turn and takes Porfiry's leave. He is reluctant to let Raskolnikov go, but he has no means of causing him to stay. As Raskolnikov is leaving, Porfiry promises him that he would see him again soon. Raskolnikov is utterly confused by the turn of events, he returns home and sits down on his bed trying to understand what had occurred.

Just as he has recollected himself, a man comes to his door. It is the same man who had called him a murderer in the street just yesterday. The man comes in and falls to his knees, and he confesses to him as a sinner. He reveals that he had been present at Alyona Ivanovna's building the night Raskolnikov had come there in delirium. He explains how he had made inquiries and discovered where Raskolnikov had lived and had then gone to Porfiry. He had reached the police station a couple of minutes before Raskolnikov had arrived. The information had excited Porfiry a lot and he had made the man stand behind a door that led from his office. Raskolnikov concludes that the man was a part of the surprise that Porfiry had wished to show him, but the man now believes that he has wrongly accused Raskolnikov for Nikolai had confessed to the crime within his hearing. He confesses again, and Raskolnikov forgives him benevolently, as a malicious smile spreads across his face.

Analysis

Svidrigailov is a complicated and enigmatic character whose machinations aren't forthcoming until much later in the book. A parallel can be drawn between the introduction of Peter, and that of Svidrigailov, for both of them enter ominously at the close of a chapter. Both of them express an interest in Dunya, but a subtle difference remains in how they are treated and that Razumikhin is present only for the meeting with Peter and not Svidrigailov. Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov share similarities, they are both misfits of society with a complicated outlook.

The chapter following the confrontation with Peter indicates a change in Raskolnikov for the better as his compassionate side begins to dominate his pride. He decides to distance himself from his family for he is unable to face them and receive their love when he is so tainted with a crime. It could also be argued that he wished to shield his family from the backlash that could be expected if he was discovered. The timing of the decision is also interesting, he displays compassion by first staying until the situation with Peter Petrovich is resolved, and until he can entrust his responsibilities towards his family to Razumikhin.

The meeting with Sonya and the reading from the bible is an important turning point in the novel, for both Sonya and Raskolnikov, like Lazarus, have experienced a kind of death. Sonya has suffered a moral death as she has been forced to prostitute herself to save the lives of her family. In reading the passage of Lazarus, she is imbued with a hope that she too can be resurrected from her moral depravity. The same can be said of Raskolnikov, who believes he has sinned by killing the old woman and her step-sister, although he desires to be rescued, he doesn't completely believe it will come to pass. When he decides to leave his family behind with Razumikhin, it is evident that he believes that he will either be caught or that will confess.